publisher’s letter · as well as traditional dragon and lion dance performances. all along the...

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To the latest issue of Explorer, the eco-friendly digital travel magazine written for intrepid adventurers.

This issue, we’ve explored some of the best experiences to be had in Asia, each of which will undoubtedly inspire your next getaway. Start with an exploration of the untamed wilds of Taiwan’s ruggedly beautiful east coast, then spend a day wandering the frenetic, chaotic streets of Manila, the energetic capital of the Philippines, and treat your tastebuds to an afternoon on Macau’s most interesting street, Rua Do Almirante Sergio. Next, we up the ante and showcase some more luxurious options with an introduction to the stunningly gorgeous Raffles Praslin resort in the Seychelles, and the Silolona, a luxury Phinisi private yacht based in the waters of Indonesia. Rounding out this issue is a journey through Hong Kong’s eclectic up-and-coming district of Sheung Wan, and a first-person report on a getaway to the dramatic natural beauty of El Nino on the Filipino island of Palawan. No matter where your inner explorer leads you, we hope that this magazine will be your consummate digital guide to all the wonderful adventures the world has to offer.

Happy Travels!

David LeungPublisher Explorer Magazine

I N S P I R E D B Y PA S S I O N

The magical settings fuel our Passion to create for you

The Unique Resort Experience

Begin the U-experience: call (230) 402 2772/73 or visit us at www.constancehotels.com

resort EXPERIENCE by Constance

Wondersof the

Spread over 6,500 kilometres, the Silk Road is a historical network of trade routes which linked the Far East and Europe. Originally

established under China’s Han dynasty to facilitate the silk trade, modern day travellers still seek adventure by retracing these routes.

Credit: dreamsCape Journeys

The dramatic Iguazu Falls that sit between Brazil and Argentina are a big tourist

destination, and have been used in a number of movies, including the 1979 James Bond

film Moonraker.Credit: peregrine

An intricately-decorated Khmer temple built between the 12th and 13th centuries,

Bayon is a massive, detailed stone edifice in Angkor, Cambodia.

Credit: paCifiC asia travel assoCiation


WORLD IN PICS

The majestic pyramids at Giza, Egypt, are a testament to man’s ability to create. The oldest – and last remaining – of the

seven wonders of the ancient world, the pyramids still draw hoards of tourists each year.

Credit: silversea

Situated in the very south of Sri Lanka, Udawelawe is one of the country’s most popular

national parks and shelters a range of wildlife, including elephants, water buffalos and water birds.

Credit: gayatri Bhaumik

Considered by many to be the most contested piece of real estate on earth, the Dome of the Rock is a shrine located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. Originally completed in 691AD, the site’s importance stems from the Foundation Stone – the rock – at its heart, which holds significance in the Christian, Jewish, and Islamic faiths.Credit: peregrine

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Victoria’s Great Ocean Road, a 243-kilometre stretch along Australia’s south-eastern coast, skirts some of the country’s most

stunning scenery. Built by returned soldiers between 1919 and 1932, it’s the world’s largest war memorial and a huge tourist attraction.

Credit: gayatri Bhaumik

A oasis in the concrete jungle of New York City, Central Park is one of the most filmed locations in the world, featuring in films like When Harry Met Sally, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Ghostbusters. Most recently, it appeared in Now You See Me, and the TV show Gossip Girl.

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From dancing lions to football fiestas, this is

PHRA NAKHON SI AYUTTHAYA WORLD HERITAGE FAIRAyutthaya, Thailand December 13-22, 2013

a recognised unesCo world heritage site, ayutthaya historical park will hold its annual fair this december to celebrate the historical significance of this former royal capital. the event features light and sound shows, exhibitions and cultural performances. there are also floating markets where visitors can enjoy traditional thai food and go shopping for local handcrafts. www.tourismthailand.org

2013 FIFA CLUB WORLD CUPAgadir/Marrakech, Morocco December 11-22, 2013

taking place in morocco this year, the fifa Club World Cup is a massive event on the football calendar, with league champions from all around the world competing for club glory. Won in previous years by world-renowned football clubs like fC Barcelona and manchester united, this year’s spotlights will be on fC Bayern munich, champions of the 2013 uefa Cup. www.fifa.com

CATHAY PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL CHINESE NEW YEAR NIGHT PARADETsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong January 31, 2014

the city’s biggest Chinese new year celebration, the new year night parade attracts tens of thousands of spectators from all around the world. the parade includes colourful themed floats, marching bands, cheerleaders, and dancers, as well as traditional dragon and lion dance performances. all along the parade route, there are also entertainers that visitors can interact with, including jugglers and cosplayers. www.discoverhongkong.com

ART MIAMIMiami, USA December 3-8, 2013

attracting international art enthusiasts from across the globe, art miami is an annual showcase of exhibitions from more than 125 modern art galleries. the six-day art fair includes two sister exhibitions, Context and aqua art miami, which feature artwork by emerging artists, including art installations, new media productions, and performance art. www.art-miami.com

WHAT’S COMING UP


AMSTERDAM LIGHT FESTIVALAmsterdam, The Netherlands December 6, 2013 - January 19, 2014

featuring the connection of light and water, the amsterdam light festival is a 50-day showcase of colourful lights all along the amstel river. themed ‘Building with light’, the iconic river will be lit by sculptures and projections created by international artists, with boat tours as well as walking tours available. also make sure to join the signature night boat parade on December 21. www.amsterdamlightfestival.com/en/

STRINGS & SOL 2013Now Sapphire Riviera Cancun, Puerto Morelos, Mexico December 11-15, 2013

There is no better way to relax than enjoying a carefree music vacation beside the Caribbean ocean. strings & sol is a four-day bluegrass music event taking place at the luxurious now sapphire resort. this year’s performers include the american yonder mountain string Band, and country music artist keller Williams. in addition to live performances, there is also a theme night called silver sparkle sombrero, where audiences can interact with the performers and party together to the music. www.stringsandsol.com

LONGINES HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL RACESHappy Valley, Hong Kong December 8, 2013

Join the most eagerly anticipated horse races of winter. With total prizes of hk$72 million, the tournament attracts top jockeys from all over the world, competing for the glory of the championship. there will be a barrier draw ahead of the races, where fans can spot their favourite jockeys at the parade ring in sha tin, and cheer for them on race day. www.racing.hkjc.com


what’s happening around your world this season.

EDINBURGH’S HOGMANAYEdinburgh, Scotland December 31, 2013

Be part of hogmanay, the biggest new year eve celebration in scotland’s capital city. every year, thousands of people carry torches in the historical royal mile parade, forming a spectacular river of fire. When the clock hits twelve o’clock, there are fireworks on Calton Hill, while people revel and enjoy live concerts in front of the beautiful Edinburgh castle. www.visitscotland.com

NEWS


Picture Perfectthe artscience museum at singapore’s marina Bay sands has collaborated with national geographic for a powerful new exhi-bition titled 50 greatest photographs. Coinciding with the 125th anniversary of the national geographic society, the exhibition features celebrated and unforgettable images from the national geographic collection and tells the fascinating story behind each iconic image. to add extra depth to the images, the exhibition also features six ‘Zoom in’ areas, interactive spaces which explain the technical elements in the photographs, and the technology and processes used to capture them. to further engage visitors, the artscience museum is running a full range of interactive activities which allow the public to immerse themselves in the world of photography. try your hand at producing captivating images at darkroom and photography workshops, or gain better insights on guided tours. the exhibition is on until october 27. www.marinabaysands.com

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Discover JapanJapan Journeys, a specialist in tailor-made holidays and tours of Japan, has unveiled an exciting new series of 12-night fam-ily holiday packages which showcase the best the country has to offer, while also giving families plenty of time to ex-plore their own interests. families can check out the home of nintendo and playstation in tokyo, immerse themselves in ancient Japanese culture with taiko drumming lessons, tradi-tional tea ceremonies, or samurai lessons in kyoto, and take in the dramatic vista of Mount Fuji. Japan Journeys offers three packages – the Bronze, silver or gold – to suit a range of budgets and accommodation styles, but all packages in-clude accommodation with breakfast, 7-day Japan rail pass-es, coach tours of tokyo, kyoto and nara – with lunch – and airport transfers. www.japanjourneys.co.uk

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Capturing the Arctic avid photographers shouldn’t miss the opportunity to hone their skills with world-renowned travel photographer steve davey on an exclusive cruise being offered by peregrine adventures in 2014. a small group on peregrine’s spitsbergen explorer voyage to the arctic will have the unique opportunity to receive specially tailored tuition from the celebrated photographer to help per-fect their photography skills while exploring svalbard and the outlying northern areas; they will see polar bears, watch walrus, photograph puffins, and scan the Arctic Sea for whales. The group will benefit from a series of illustrated talks, practical group sessions, photographic tasks, and personal review sessions. the voyage will begin on June 9, 2014, with a welcome dinner and drinks hosted by Davey in Longyearbyen, Norway, before commencing the 11-day journey aboard the Sea Spirit which departs on June 10, 2014. www.peregrineadventures.com

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Silk Road Journeystravel specialists Cox & kings have in-troduced a new series of middle east tours for 2014. the comprehensive range of group tours, private tailor-made experiences and self-drive itineraries al-lows participants to enjoy all the best of north africa, Central asia, and the gulf states. turkmenistan is the highlight of these new tours, featuring in two brand new itineraries. discover turkmenistan is an in-depth 10-day/8-night tour through the colourful country, while the legend-ary silk route by rail is a 14-day/12 night train journey that whisks travellers through the splendours of turkmenistan, uzbekistan and kazakhstan. also on offer are private tours featuring Jordan and israel, and self-drive adventures through oman. www.coxandkings.co.uk

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Maasai Warrior Schoolyoung visitors to Cottar’s 1920s safari camp in the maasai mara will be in for some adventure and lots of fun with the camp’s latest offering. lasting between two and three hours, the complimentary maasai Warrior sessions allow kids to immerse themselves in the rich culture and tradi-tions of the maasai warriors. depending on age and abil-ity, kids will learn to make fire, throw spears, master the art of archery, or learn Maasai jumping, dancing and singing. they will also be able to participate in some of the unique traditions that have been passed down through genera-tions, including a blessing ceremony that involves maa-sai clothing, jewellery and even henna. At the end of the session, participants are presented with a certificate, and those able to hone their skills enough to hit the archery targets will receive a wooden bow and non-lethal arrow. www.cottars.com

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Cruising Caperslate this year, the luxurious superstar aquarius cruise ship will be taking kota kinabalu as its new homeport, allowing passen-gers to access the islands and waters of Brunei, sabah and sarawak. the ship’s new itineraries will include 7-day/6-night trips from Hong Kong to Manila, Boracay and Kota Kinabalu; 4-day/3-night journeys through Kota Kinabalu, Muara and Bintulu; and 1-night sea excursions. Onboard, cruise passengers will enjoy a range of entertainment, including acrobats, illusionists and live music, plenty of duty-free shopping featuring well-known brands, and a wide selection of dining, spa and recreational options. www.starcruises.com

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NEWS

Powdered SlopesSki Safari, specialists in snow-filled vacations, have expanded their offerings for the 2013-2014 season with 14 new resorts in europe and two new itineraries. the new resorts in the ski safari line up include eight austrian resorts; the three italian resorts of Cortina d’ampezzo, maddona di Campiglio and santa Cristina; and the trysil resort in norway. the addition of these resorts means travellers who choose to create their winter vacation with ski safari now have access to some of the best resorts and slopes in europe. new ski adventures also feature in the 2013-2014 program: the Classic Colorado is a 14-night itinerary that features three of america’s best ski resorts, Crested Butte, telluride, and aspen; while advanced skiers will be challenged by the red and Whitewater safari, which takes in the steep slopes, deep powder and diverse terrain of British Colombia’s kootenay rockies. www.skisafari.com

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Family Escapes family vacations will become a little easier with the launch of a revamped kids’ club at all Constance hotels and resorts properties in the indian ocean. the complimentary Constance kids’ Club, aimed at guests aged four to 11, focuses on engaging kids with their exotic holiday location through a comprehensive range of facilities and activities. led by fully trained and enthusiastic coordinators, kids can explore their locale, learn how to make local crafts, join in culinary activities, or test their sleuthing skills on scavenger hunts. the clubs also feature art and craft spaces, computer access, Wiis and playstations, and outdoor spaces. there is even a program of evening entertainment which includes fun events like pyjama parties. www.constancehotels.com

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Nick Walton ventures beyond the

Snow Mountains to the ruggedly beautiful east

coast of Taiwan, a land of towering peaks, rushing

alpine rivers and ancient legends.

TAIWAN


Time’s a funny thing. Walking on the street, 13 minutes doesn’t seem like a whole lot. But when you’re underground, travelling beneath millions of tonnes of ancient weather-withered rock, the walls only metres apart on each side, 13 minutes – all 780 seconds worth – can seem like a lifetime.

This is Taiwan’s Hsuehshan Tunnel, a 13 kilometre-long highway passing beneath the ‘Snow Mountains’, a natural barrier between the capital, Taipei, and the rural county of Yilan on the island’s ruggedly beautiful east coast. Not only a feat of engineering that took 15 years – and its fair share of lives, thanks to flooding and cave ins – to complete, Hsuehshan, which opened in 2006, is a symbolic link between Formosa’s industrialised west, home to 98 percent of Taiwan’s population, and the wind-whipped, mountainous east, where spirits and legends still hold sway. And it’s Hsuehshan that is bringing much needed tourism from the big city and beyond to the east, home to some of Taiwan’s most spectacular natural beauty.

In the tunnel, my driver turns on a dedicated radio station which plays easy listening Mandarin songs and warning messages about speeding. The tunnel has cut the travel time between Taipei and Yilan from two hours to just 30 minutes, 13 of which we spend passing through the tunnel, its sides lit by candle-hued sodium vapour lamps which give life to brightly-coloured roadside murals.

With little warning, we burst out into the startling sunshine of north-eastern Taiwan. As far as the eye can see, the world is a green billiard table punctuated by a scattering of Monopoly houses. The contrast from the city couldn’t be more extreme; Yilan is flat and expansive, the bright morning sun setting the colours of rice paddies and the Pacific aflame. In the distance, Turtle Island, a local icon, emerges from banks of morning mist.

TAIWAN


They say anything will grow in Yilan and from the risen highway, which cuts across the landscape like a concrete python, they could be right. A sea of emerald green rice stalks, their tips flickering with the whims of the wind,

reach towards the horizon, where purple mountains loom. Leaving the highway, we pass through quiet, manicured towns and ancient temples stained with generations of incense smoke.

Visitors come to Yilan for many reasons; for a respite from the bustle of city life and for the unique dishes available in the rural villages, or to surf at Honeymoon Bay and to spy pods of dolphins and migrating whales in the shallows of the Pacific.

This is the land of the Kavalan aboriginals who, as legend has it, came one day from the sea. It was their name, which means ‘flatland people’, that eventually morphed into ‘Yilan’, and their folk culture is celebrated at the annual International Children’s Folklore & Folkgame Festival, held in Yilan City.

Yilan City is less a city than a town with a future. It’s home to meandering rivers, bustling farmer’s markets, and one of east Taiwan’s newest malls, Luna Plaza. Atop the mall is Silks Place Yilan, the city’s only five-star hotel, and part of a Taiwanese-owned hotel company that’s intent on capitalising on the east’s new fortunes.

In many ways, Yilan is a cultural time capsule. Each year, thousands attend events like the Dongshan River Water Festival, or visit the National Centre for Traditional Arts or the Yang Shih-Fang Memorial Gardens, which opened in 2004. Dedicated to Yang, a civil servant who advocated the protection of the region’s unique culture, a former temple complex has been converted into an arts village where practitioners continue his dream.

Within the garden’s restored temple buildings, I meet retired school teacher Chester Lim, who spends his afternoons making traditional Taiwanese lanterns from bamboo papyrus and fibres. Scores of colourful finished products, in all shapes and sizes, dance in the late afternoon breeze.

“It’s important that we retain these traditional arts,” says Lim, as he smooths out soaked pulp over a fibre frame. “We get a lot more visitors from the capital and even overseas because of the tunnel, and it’s a chance to show the Taiwan that was. If we don’t hold tight to these traditions, who will? Certainly not those living in the big cities.” He holds the finished lantern up to a group of camera-toting visitors. “It’s up to us to make sure young people still learn the old ways.”


TAIWAN

At dusk, on the Silks Place’s aptly named Sky Garden, a series of mineral pools set at varying temperatures, prove popular with gaggles of gossiping middle-aged Taiwanese women. Submerged up to the tips of their brightly coloured bathing caps in steaming water, they watch the last of the day’s light fade behind the mountains, the fields below falling dark and silent.

After quietly giggling at my less-than-manly shrieks as I join them in dousing myself with cold water from powerful wall-mounted jets, they warm up to this towering western stranger, pointing out how red my ears get as I soak in the hottest pool.

“It’s nice to come here and remember how beautiful Taiwan can be,” says one somnolent soaker, to the nodded agreement of her friends. “We try to get down here every few months; we visit the temples and soak in the hot pools and try and find a little piece of calm. You always forget just how beautiful the east is, until you return.”

The next morning I rise early to tackle Yilan on two wheels. The city has deve-loped some serious green credentials; it hosted a green expo in March, attended by experts and architects from around the world, and recently implemented a Green Map that allows visitors to dis-cover the best of the city’s parklands, organic restaurants and environmentally-friendly buildings, many of which are local government offices. Yilan City even hosts the annual Green International Film Festival, a non-competition showcase of green-themed productions.


TAIWAN

Guides from the Silks Place take guests on complimentary bike tours alongside the Dongshan River. Wide green belts of dancing reeds on either side of the river testify to the extent of the annual flood season, as teams of dragon boaters power down the waterway to the boom of Chinese drums. Nearby, early morning walkers cross the river on a bridge constructed from recycled building materials.

By noon I’m boarding a local train south. The train races across Yilan’s vast green plateau, before diving into the mountains again, emerging minutes later closer to the sea, the train traversing a sliver of land between the wind-whipped ocean and towering peaks, lush with persistent drizzle. In Hualien, eastern Taiwan’s largest city, the sky erupts every few minutes as Taiwanese F-16s take off to patrol the air space between Formosa and its giant neighbour, China. More jets shelter under camouflaged canopies, but my driver tells me that what I can see is just a fraction of the force, and points to the distant mountains while tapping his nose.

Many visitors to Hualien stop in at the Ji-An Wild Vegetable Market, where Amis tribes people sell the traditional vegetables and herbs they’ve used in food and medicine for generations. The markets are a great spot to explore, even if you don’t plan to take any of their fresh fish, fruit and vegetables home.

I back track north on the Suao-Hualien Highway to take in the grandeur of the Qingshui Cliffs, five kilometres of towering bluffs which slide dramatically into the ocean near the entrance to the Taroko Gorge.

Taroko is one of Taiwan’s best kept secrets. Nestled in the heart of the Taroko National Park, the 19 kilometre-long canyon is the ultimate testament to the powers of nature. Over 70 million years rushing alpine rivers have worn down layers of marble to create an awe-inspiring geological landscape of mile-high cliffs. Named Truku, for the aboriginal word for ‘magnificent’, the description actually comes from the tribe’s first venture beyond the canyon to the cusp of the Pacific Ocean which, for a people used to the confinement of the gorge, must have looked pretty magnificent.

That said, Taroko, and man’s miniscule impact on it, is inspiring alone. Nationalist soldiers retreating from

the civil war in China were put to work carving a road through the living rock. The results now whisk visitors from sea level up to 3,400m and some of Taiwan’s tallest peaks, all within the space of 60 kilometres.

At the gorge’s heart is Silks Place Taroko. Once the site of the famous Tian Hsyang alpine lodge and a favourite haunt of Asia’s power brokers, Silks Place Taroko’s modern, minimalist rooms offer visitors the chance to view the canyon’s waterways, shrines, and nearby Tiansiang Convent in comfort.

I spend the evening in one of the hotel’s outdoor hot pools under a canopy of stars, and listen to a chorus of insect calls from the bush-clad mountains. The hotel’s Wellspring Spa boasts suites overlooking a rushing river, as well as tennis courts, fine dining restaurants and even cultural shows in the evenings. But most people come to commune with the serenity.

At day break I set out to explore the gorge. It’s an easy downhill walk from the hotel, across the Cihmu Bridge to the Tunnel of Nine Turns, one of the route’s most impressive engineering feats. Joining groups of Mainland Chinese tourists toting white hard hats to protect against falling rocks, I follow a path between two cliffs, the space narrowing to less than 10 metres at some points. Below, the waters of the river are turquoise and awash in froth as they tumble through ancient boulders worn smooth by the elements.

At the Swallow’s Grotto, birds flutter on the thermals and nest in natural pock marks in the cliff face. Many walkers also continue down to the Eternal Spring Shrine, which looks out over a picturesque ‘eternal’ waterfall, but I choose to tackle the gorge further in the darkness of night, with one of the hotel’s night time bike tours. Despite being strung with more lights than a Christmas tree, the darkness is like a vacuum, the silence when we pause along the way, all but deafening.

I chat with my guide, a fit young Chinese woman for whom the hills back to the hotel offer little challenge, about city life. She sits back in her saddle, looks up at the stars and mutters with a smile: “most people don’t know what they’re missing.” Thanks to a tunnel that links a once divided people, all that is about to change.


PHILIPPINES

The capital of the Philippines has shrugged off its grimy persona and is now attracting a new generation of sophisticated travellers from across Asia with new resorts, casinos, great golfing and of course, plenty of retail therapy.


PHILIPPINES

Mandarin Oriental


PHILIPPINES

9amStart your day off with a hearty breakfast at one of the city’s most elegant houses of slumber, the Mandarin Oriental Manila. Located in the chic yet tranquil neighbourhood of Makati, the Mandarin Oriental boasts 413 spacious guest rooms and 29 luxurious suites located on the tower’s top floors. Sate your appetite before heading out on the links with an extensive international breakfast buffet at Paseo Uno, the hotel’s all-day dining outlet, and if your muscles are feeling your efforts after the golf, check in for a spot of post-

historic site, including an extensive renovation planned for the precinct’s grand dame, the Manila Cathedral. Walk through the cool corridors of the Cathedral between services to see priceless religious artworks, or tour the city in style with a traditional donkey cart ride. Be sure to drop in at Casa Manila, a museum that depicts the lives of the Spanish during colonisation. Housed in an imposing stone and wood building that dates from 1850, the museum is in the heart of the old Spanish quarter, where large colonial mansions still exist.

round pampering at The Spa at the Mandarin Oriental, home to single and couples treatment rooms, and a specialist Thai herbal steam room. www.mandarinoriental.com

10amStart your morning off with a round at the famous Club Intramuros golf course. One of the few courses in the world that rubs shoulders with a UneSCO world heritage site, the club is short yet challenging, and winds its way around the historic heart of the city, with the famed Intramuros wall, built by the Spanish to defend again marauding pirates, never far away.

NoonAfter your round, walk the streets of neigh-bouring Intramuros to get a sense of how the city has changed, both within the walls of this fortress city, and beyond. Built in the 16th century, Intramuros is the de facto Old Town of Manila, and efforts are underway to restore this

Intramuros


PHILIPPINES

1.30pmTime to enjoy the spoils of Manila Bay at the Hong Kong Chef Seafood Restaurant, a local institution in Manila, and home to a stunning array of seafood dishes cooked to perfection. Located on Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City, this restaurant is nestled in the midst of the city’s largest fresh seafood market and you can literally buy the catch of the day at your favourite stall, and have the culinary team cook it exactly how you like it. now that’s fresh.

4pmWalk off your lunch in the brand new Museum Manila, which opened this month, dedicated to world civilisations. The new museum boasts exhibitions from ancient Greece, China and egypt, including an impressive half-sized replica of the Colossus of Ramses II. Located in Pasay City, also look out for fascinating exhibitions on the inventions of Leonardo Da Vinci.

7pmFrom ancient cultures to the future of Manila, head to the chic Solaire Resort & Casino, one of the first developments in a new entertainment city strip that’s slated for Manila Bay. Featuring 500 spacious guest rooms, a collection of lavish suites and even world-class villa apartments for high rollers, the resort brings a slice of Vegas to the city, with 15 restaurants and bars wreathing an expansive gaming floor. The resort also boasts resort-style pool facilities, entertainment lounges and one of Manila’s largest ballrooms. Book ahead for a table in Yakumi, an intimate Japanese restaurant that serves up fresh sushi and teppanyaki, matched with a stellar range of wines and sakes.

10pmFinish your night off by claiming a booth at eclipse, the resort’s Latin-inspired live music lounge, home to some of the city’s best mixologists as well as a revolving roster of local and international acts. This is where Manila’s beautiful come to dance the night away on the shores of Manila Bay. www.solairemanila.com

China Town


MACAU

Exploring ancient Rua do Almirante Sergio is the best way to get a grasp on this fascinating city.

MACAU

Home to some of the city's old guard restaurants and Macau's namesake temple, Rua do Almirante Sergio is located in the heart of real Macau, a stone's throw from the glitter and glam of the casinos, but a world away from Macau's neon persona. Walk past its ramshackle store fronts, through its tranquil squares and parks, and delve into its bustling kitchens for a true sense of the Macau of the Macanese.

resemble a stylised ship, the museum boasts several interactive exhibitions, covering everything from the terri-tory's fishing traditions, right through to dragon boating, the arrival of the Portuguese and other colonial pow-ers, and the development of maritime technology.

EatThe Rua do Almirante Sergio is also home to some of the city's top Ma-canese restaurants. Litoral (261 Rua do Almirante Sergio; +853 2896 7878; www.restaurante-litoral.com) has been leading the Macanese cuisine revival for 14 years and offers some iconic but increasingly hard to find dishes includ-ing pork with shrimp paste; tacho, a Ma-canese meat stew; stuffed king prawns; and minchi, mince with fried potato and egg, all washed down with Portuguese wine.

For a variation on the Macanese theme, Henri's Gallery (4G-H Avienda da Republica, +853 2855 6251) has long been a Macanese culinary icon, hav-ing opened in 1976, and is especially famous for its African Chicken and curry crab dishes. The décor is simple and


StayPousada de São Tiago (Avenida da República; +853 2837 8111; www.saotiago.com.mo) is the city's first luxury boutique hotel. Tucked away in a former Portuguese fortress built in the 17th century to defend the territory from pirates, its 12 spacious suites are a refreshing take on the neon of down-town, and are furnished with 40-inch LCD televisions, complimentary mini bars and bathrooms boasting rainforest showers and steam rooms.

WorshipThe city of Macau actually got its name from its incense smoke-stained A Ma Temple (south end of Rua do Almirante Sergio), a shrine dedicated to Matsu, the goddess of seafarers and fishermen. Portuguese sailors are said to have confused the name of this ancient Taoist temple for that of the Macau peninsula, and now the site is protected as a city icon and UneSCo-listed heritage site.

DoMuch of Macau's history has been shaped by naval powers, and the city's maritime history can be found at the Macau Maritime Museum (south end of Rua do Almirante Sergio). Built to

homely, the service crisp and person-able, and the wine list features plenty of old and new World classics to match the fire of the fusion dishes.

DrinkIf you're looking for a comfy corner in which to curl up with a glass of wine, you can't go past Macau Soul (31A Rua de São, www.macausoul.com), a tiny wine bar hidden away between the St Paul's Ruins and the Rua do Almirante Sergio. owned by British expats David and Jacky Higgins, expect elegant lounge-like surrounds, and plenty of well priced Portuguese, Spanish and Chilean wines, matched with artisan cheeses.

For something a little more lavish, head to the MGM Grand and the Russian Room (Lote A do Quarteirão, +853 8802 8888, www.mgmmacau.com/russian-room). Designed to reflect the heyday of opulent Tsarist Russia, this elegant watering hole has one of the city's best vodka lists, each of which is matched with imported caviar, as well as an extensive champagne list – perfect for visitors celebrating a win on the nearby gaming floor.

ExploreBe sure to explore the narrow lanes and colonial-era shopfront homes, each of which is painted in eye-catching pastels, surrounding Largo do Lilau, or Lilau Square (off Rua de Barra). once considered the “Christian Quarter”, this was one of the first Portuguese settle-ments in Macau. At its heart is a historic fountain; legend has it if you drink from its waters, you're destined to return to Macau, and although the fountain doesn't run any more, this vibrant little neighborhood still draws crowds of amateur photographers.

ShopHead to the New Yaohan Department Store (Avenue Comercial de Macau, +853 2872 5338, www.newyaohan.com) for luxury shopping that's pleasantly off the beaten path. This iconic store sells everything from sunglasses to luggage, cosmetics to children's clothes. Look for the likes of Gieves & Hawkes, Ashworth, Burberry, Gucci and Davidoff. If you can't find it in this mall's eight floors of retail, chances are it doesn't exist.

SEyCHELLES


SEyCHELLES


With captivating views, an idyllic setting and a distinctly modern design, the new Raffles Praslin in the Seychelles is offering the next generation of travellers to the Indian Ocean a refreshed take on tropical luxury, discovers NIck WalTON.


here is nothing quite like waking up at the top of the world. At least that’s what it feels like when you wake up in one of the lofty hillside villas at the distinctly modern Raffles Praslin. The higher up your villa is on the steep slope on which the brand new resort is situated, the more the view is dominated by the vivid, mesmerising blue of the Curieuse Marine National Park, one of the island nation’s largest. The mirror-like ribbon of sea slips between Praslin and the nearby island of Curieuse, and each afternoon guests can trace convoys of charter yachts racing across the bay to capture the sunset at nearby Anse Lazio.

The Raffles Praslin is certainly not the most beautiful looking hotel from a distance. On the coastal road from the island’s pint-sized airport the stilted resort, with its greyish blue roofing, cream facades and vertiginous position, stands out against the hints of reddish clay from the mountain side, testament to the Raffles’ infancy.

But as soon as you arrive, you know that this is the future of the Seychelles; an elegant, modern retreat that thrusts upon the destination levels of luxury that we in Asia take for granted. Guests arrive at a vaulted open air reception area perched above the sea before being whisked up the cliff side in sturdy golf buggies for in-room check-ins that make the most of the spectacular views.

More a refined luxury experience than a particularly authentic Seychellois one, the Raffles’ 86 villas are only differentiated by the number of rooms and their position on the hillside – Russian travellers, I’m told, like to be steps from the pool and the beach, while Asian travellers appreciate the privacy of the higher havens. Our villa is as high as you can go and boasts an ample sun deck, a private infinity plunge pool, a spacious master bedroom and a lavish bathroom with a tub framed by a massive picture window.

Of course, the higher up you are the less you’re likely to be spotted taking an early morning dip in your birthday suit and the addition of 100,000 plantings will help shield villas from each other while nestling the whole resort better into its tropical surrounds.

If you can drag yourself away from your villa, you should head for Anse Takamaka, an idyllic strip of sand and turquoise water at the base of the resort. Here the water is still and incredibly clear, making it idea for snorkelling. It’s from one end of the beach, which, unlike many other resorts, is served by a small army of beach butlers armed with chilled water and fluffy towels, that day excursions and diving trips depart.

Only steps from the beach is the resort’s expansive main pool, which is ringed by oversized sun loungers. The Poolside Café & Bar nearby is popular at lunch time with beach bunny families, as is the Losean Restaurant, which serves up lingering breakfasts. The coveted al fresco tables are a great way to start the day, while cocktails and shisha on the open-air Takamaka Terrace are best enjoyed under one of the Seychelles’ captivating starry nights.

The Raffles Praslin is also home to the first signature Raffles Spa. The wellness centre boasts 13 treatment pavilions, each backdropped by stunning sea views and manned by a well-trained team of spa therapists who conduct a host of indulgent treatments utilising locally-sourced spices, fruit and even pearl dust. www.raffles.com/praslin

SEyCHELLES

INDONESIA


SunBy

Experiential cruising is on the up and up and vessels like Silolona, a beautifully recreated Indonesian Phinisi, and her sister vessel Datu Buah, offer families a chance to explore some of Southeast Asia's most remote corners in style.


INDONESIA

F ew travellers can say they have accomplished as much as Patti Seeri, both for themselves, and for the people of an adopted land. From diving into a new and strange culture, and leading teams of traditional craftsmen to create one of Indonesia’s most beautiful sailing vessels, to helping to preserve ancient textile

customs among some of the world’s most isolated tribes, Seeri has helped change perceptions in one of the world’s most beautiful – and misunderstood – nations.

Despite a life defined by her Indonesian friends, family and experiences, Seeri’s passion for foreign cultures, and for textiles, began years before arriving in the archipelago. As a fresh architecture graduate, Seeri found herself working with remote Aboriginal settlements in Queensland, before moving with her husband to Gujarat, in India, where she decided to continue her studies with a master’s degree in Southeast Asian textiles. Only a few years later she found herself living in Jakarta, and on her first morning took a taxi to the ancient port of Batavia, on the Ciliwung River, where she encountered her first Indonesian phinisi trader ship.

“As the sun began to rise, I visited several ships, and an ancient kampong, filled with kids, garbage and a lot of smiling faces and remember saying, ‘I’m going to really like this place!’. I also saw my first traditional schooner, with black sails billowing in the wind, and knew I was hooked.”

For those people who have meet Patti Seeri, and have heard her many stories, this comes with little surprise. She may come across as genteel and soft spoken, but in the years since her arrival in Indonesia, she has tackled weather and warriors, spirituality and semantics, culture and contrast, while forging ahead with her two goals; first, to help preserve the customs and textiles of Indonesia’s far flung ethnic tribes, and second, to create Silolona, a luxurious

and modern vessel with a traditional Phinisi design.In fact, it was one passion which led to another. “As soon

as I arrived in Indonesia, I realised that it was a fantastic place for textiles, so I wanted to document textile usage in the outer islands. The only way to get out to these islands to see the rituals and textiles was by boat, so I went by local Phinisi and inter-island boats. It was so much fun that I decided to take my family.” In fact, Seeri was on board a Phinisi off the island of Krakatoa when she went into labor with her first son.

Whilst travelling Seeri would often stay with locals, gaining an unique insight into their customs and traditions and leading to friendships with the likes of the king of Sumba and the chief of the Nasmat people. Seeri formed such a close relationship with the Dani, an emerging Stone Age tribe from the highlands of Papua, members of which had toured the US with Seeri as part of a cultural exchange, that she was initiated into the tribe and given the name “Herage” after one of the village’s two rivers. Chief Siba of the Dani was to become Seeri’s adopted “father” and would quiz her on the world beyond his village. “We had an immediate connection despite different languages and vastly different cultures,” says Seeri. “Chief Siba would ask me questions about the outside world, the changes he was seeing, and how best to guide his people.”

In celebration of her new status, Chief Siba killed a pig as an offering. “It was a very powerful ceremony, where everyone breathed the breath of the ancestors into me and sent their power and energy, while breathing rapidly with outstretched hands. I was sitting on the floor of the honai (traditional hut), legs crossed, dressed in a skimpy orchid fiber skirt and smeared with blackened pig fat.”

Seeri began taking small groups out to the far flung islands, fuelled in part by the popularity of the cultural exchanges in the US, but after becoming stuck on one remote island in 1999, when the charter boat didn’t return, she realised she had to take transport into her own hands.

“I had two options; to sue the owner of the vessel, or proceed to fix the situation more permanently. I decided to build my own boat, thinking ‘how hard can it be’? Silolona exists today due to my complete ignorance about what it takes to build a boat, and my focused determination to build a vessel ideally suited for travellers, which incorporates all the best aspects of sailing on a wooden, hand-crafted vessel, but with safety and modern day navigation. I wanted to recreate my experiences, the magic of sailing through the Indonesian archipelago in comfort and safety, but I only succeeded due to sheer determination, and a willingness to listen to the traditional boat builders. Together we created, for the first time, a traditional hand-crafted vessel, built to plans, and incorporating modern technology, while respecting the boat builder’s skills and traditions.”

The boat builder’s team laid the keel on September 11, 2001, and Silolona was launched in July 2004. “Silolona offers its guests the magic of sailing on the vessel of the Spice Island trade, and the feeling of stepping back in time, a sense of discovery and exploration, surrounded by a warm sense of sincere Asian hospitality and service,” says Seeri.

A second vessel was launched in 2011, hand-crafted by the same boat builders that built Silolona in the depths of the Borneo mangroves, where the best timber is found. Silolana features three state rooms and two guest suites, all of which are air conditioned. In addition to land tours, diving, kayaking, fishing and snorkeling are also available.

For more info go to www.silolona.com

INDONESIA


One central Hong kong

neighbourhood is reinventing

itself as the city’s home

of cool

Historic

HONG KONG


b y N I C K WA L T O N

HONG KONG


But its also a suburb undergoing change. as rents in the bustle of Central continue to rise on the world’s most space-strapped island, the city’s hip persona is venturing west, into sheung Wan’s shop fronts and alleyways, creating a diversity that’s both kaleidoscopic and enthralling. new restaurants, cafés and clubs, art galleries and yoga studios jostle for space with Chinese tea shops, meat warehouses and traditional medicine clinics. heritage is in vogue in hong kong, and this tiny district is turning into the city’s chic capital.

despite its small statue, sheung Wan is in fact one of the city’s most historic precincts. it was a key component of the British settlement known as victoria City, which encompassed much of northwest hong kong island. in fact, the site for the original 1842 occupation is now sheung Wan’s possession street, although heavy reclamation means it no longer has a waterfront vista. hollywood road, one of hong kong’s oldest throughways, runs through Sheung Wan like a vital artery and travels past Aberdeen Street, the official border, down to the ancient man mo temple. steps away, gough street is one of many lanes where new bars and restaurants cash in on the subtle address change.

henning voss has lived in hong kong for the past four years, and is the founder of necesCity, an online men’s lifestyle guide located in the heart of the emerging neighbourhood.

“As a typical gweilo (foreign) bachelor, I spent my first two years in Hong kong living in soho, until i bought a place in sheung Wan,” says voss. “during the last few years sheung Wan has become a much hipper and trendier place. now it even attracts crowds that normally would not make their way past the man mo temple. hip restaurants like Wagyu kaiseki den, and 208 duecento otto, art galleries, posh apartments and quirky shops have really transformed the area.”

although intrepid foreigners like henning have lived in sheung Wan for years, it was the city’s arts community which brought the best of the city’s art scene west, according to kevin kwong, arts editor at the south China morning post, one of the region’s leading english-language newspapers.

“sheung Wan has always had a connection with the arts scene, not least because it has a performing arts venue, the sheung Wan Civic Centre, but also because the hong kong repertory theatre, hong kong Chinese orchestra and hong kong dance Company are also based there,” says kwong. “another active theatre company, theatre du pif, has also set up shop there.”

HONG KONG


The Cat Street Gallery, one of the first contemporary art galleries to make the move to Sheung Wan, and its adjacent the space venue, housed in a former meatpacking building, have both helped to bolster the neighborhood’s arty credentials. they were followed by the likes of sin sin and parasite as well as design stores like innermost.

“When i moved the Cat street gallery to the sheung Wan end of hollywood road in 2008, a lot of my friends thought i was mad - it was a one-way street and our neighbors were generally just coffin shops,” says owner mandy d’abo. “it’s still a one-way street but over the last two and a half years, our neighbours have changed immeasurably. soho has crept West-ward and now walking down hollywood road, as well as the traditional antique shops, you pass endless little galleries, studios and cafes. the area has transformed itself into a must-see for anyone visiting hong kong interested in art and design.”

several chic new restaurants have also opened in sheung Wan over the past year, taking advantage of cheaper rents and bigger spaces, including magnolia, a Cajun-themed private kitchen that’s always packed, the elegant press room

bistro, located just up from the Man Mo temple, Café maison, a chic cafe-slash-lifestyle store on gough street, and 208 duecento otto, a chic italian restaurant that smacks of the Big apple. and new restaurants and cafes are always opening; a hop, skip and jump from 208 is heirloom, a chic conservatory-looking eatery reminiscent of sydney’s darlinghurst district, and serving up Balinese mexican fusion cuisine.

it’s easy to see the contrast that makes sheung Wan such a popular destination for tourists and residents alike. across the street from heirloom, back at hollywood road park, the old Chinese men continue their matches of Jeuhng Keih (Chinese chess), and their wives move from fans to the gliding movements of tai qi. Balancing that contrast is the tricky part.

“i think it will be tough to keep the balance,” says henning voss. “rents are on the rise and new apartment developments will add to this craze. however, hong kongers living in sheung Wan are a pretty conservative crowd, so i hope we will keep the dry goods shopfronts, antique boutiques, and traditional Chinese medicine shops. it’s part of hong kong’s identity.”

Take Me ThereWagyu Kaiseki Den, 263 Hollywood Rd, Tel: +852 2851 2820, www.wagyukaisekiden.com.hk

208 Duecento Otto, 208 Hollywood Road, Tel: +852 2549 0208, www.208.com.hk

Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, 4/F Sheung Wan Municipal Services Building, 345 Queen’s Road West, Tel: +852 3103 5930, www.hkrep.com

Theatre du Pif, Room 902, Hua Fu Building, 111 Queens Rd West, Tel: +852 2904 2030, www.thtdupif.com

Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, 7/F, Sheung Wan Municipal Services Building, 345 Queen’s Road West, Tel: +852 3185 1600, www.hkco.org

Hong Kong Dance Company, 4/F Sheung Wan Municipal Services Building, 345 Queen’s Road West, Tel: +852 3103 1888, www.hkdance.com

The Cat Street Gallery, 222 Hollywood Rd, Tel: +852 2291 0006, www.thecatstreetgallery.com

The Space, 210 Hollywood Rd, Tel: +852 2361 1210, www.thespace.hk

Magnolia, Shop 5, G/F, 17 Po Yan Street, Tel: +852 2530 9880, www.magnolia.hk

Heirloom, 226 Hollywood Rd, Tel: +852 2547 8008, www.heirloomhk.com

Cafe Maison, G/F, 12 Gough St., Tel: +852 2581 3663.

HONG KONG


In the second part of our El Nido series, GARy GAi

unthinkingly agrees to a weekender in Palawan,

only to fall under the spell of the island’s untamed

natural beauty, sandy beaches and fresh seafood.


READER'S REPORT


READER'S REPORT


one evening not long ago, while I was happily en-sconced on the couch, en-grossed in a soccer match,

my wife decided to ambush me. “Why don’t we go to Palawan next week?” Caught up in a particularly enthrall-ing moment of athleticism, I replied, “yes, dear” without giving it a second thought.

only two days before leaving, I realised that our destination was a small island, part of the Philippines, in the South China Sea. Being very much a city boy – and never having been to the Philippines before – I started to get a bit worried.

My first experience flying with Philip-pine Airlines – mercifully, in Business Class – was surprisingly great. The food was great, and overall, I thought it bet-ter than some of the other regional air-lines that I’d flown with. The steak – yes steak, on a plane – was cooked exactly the way I wanted it; the only problem? The flight time was far too short, and I disembarked without having enough time to enjoy a few more drinks.

on arriving in Manila, we were trans-ferred to a small, local airport. My first thought: is this really an airport? The diminutive structure was nothing more than a little shop with a gate outside; I steeled myself for what I was sure would be a nightmare of a flight. We passed through the ‘gate’, and got our first look at our plane, a 19-seater Dornier 228. Having never seen one of these before, it took a few moments for me to overcome my incredulity: this plane

was really going to get us to an island? When they started weighing our bags – each person was only allowed to carry 10kgs aboard – I thought my worst fears were being confirmed.

But then the staff showed up, mar-shalled the 19 passengers, and began to give us a safety demonstration, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Although this was a small operation, the service was fantastic. The waiting room had every-thing you’d expect, including the much-needed magazines and gin and tonics; I suppose they are used to looking after nervous flyers like myself. After a few rounds of drinks, all 19 passengers, a motley crew of Russians, Japanese, Hong Kongers, Canadians, Chinese, and Koreans, became fast friends.

The one hour flight flew by in what seemed like 15 minutes, thanks to the stunning views we glimpsed through the windows, which included peeks at the many islands of the Philippines, and Volcano Taal. Landing on a rice field, the doors opened and we disembarked – in front of an ox cart and local women singing a song of welcome. A far cry from the efficient hustle and bustle of arriving at Hong Kong’s Chepk Lap Kok airport; the airport transfer to the pier was a Filipino jeepney.

Boarding the resort boat, we’re whisked off to a remote island called Lagen Island. Arriving at the pier, we’re welcomed by the full complement of the resort’s staff, each with beaming fac-es, and while checking into our room, we’re greeted with expansive sea views, and the fresh ocean breeze coming off

the waters that are literally beneath our feet. I might have just arrived, but I was already feeling a sense of complete relaxation. of course, this might have been aided by the advent of cocktail hour, when we walked to the poolside bar to indulge in a freshly squeezed calamansi juice while enjoying a sunset which painted the sky impossible shades of pink and orange.

over the next few days, the resort organised a guided island-hopping tour for us, and we had a great opportunity to see the real jewel of the area – the reef. With nothing but crystal clear wa-ters and deserted white sandy beaches for miles, I had to wonder how a country like the Philippines could so beautifully preserve all these wonderful places without succumbing to overdevelop-ment. To me, it was a fantastic feat, one that I hope is maintained so that we can continue to go back and enjoy it. We went diving around the island, saw dozens of turtles, and many, many fish swimming in and out of gigantic fan corals.

As a fitting end to what had been a fantastic trip, the resort manager organ-ised a special dinner for us – a table for two on a remote beach. The staff put on what may well be one of the best meals we’d ever had, with catch-of-the-day seafood and a perfectly chilled bottle of exquisite new Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, followed by the famous Filipino mango dessert.

My only thought as we polished off the last of our sweet dish: man, do I have to leave tomorrow?

READER'S REPORT

publisher’s letter · as well as traditional dragon and lion dance performances. all along the...

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